Wilma landfalled as CAT 3... Damage Reports just coming in

[Inside Ball]

Thanks we are due to fly in Sunday afternoon not sure what the odds are of being delayed.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I HAVE TO THANK YOU FOR THAT LITTLE BIT OF SUNSHINE YOU JUST BROUGHT US

THANKS

You are welcome--on Saturday it is just hitting the yucatan according to current forecasts.

My youngest is having her b-day party on this day and I was very concerned that it would be cancelled--but we are good for the party!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Thanks we are due to fly in Sunday afternoon not sure what the odds are of being delayed.

I'm not a meteorologist--so I'm not sure...but if everthing sticks, you'd be okay for the most part....maybe a bit wet.

Miss Jasmine works at an airport--so she'd be better able to answer that question.

 

[bumcat]

Matt - Please keep posting your updates. I'm sure there are plenty on the dis that is checking out this thread for your information. I think most here do appreciate it.
I also arrive in Orlando sat morning.

 

[MizBlu]

no but you sure can compare the tracks of the storms and for people that were hit by Charley and lost there houses or had family thats live's were so disrupted for almost a year, and to live some place and go back to see all that has be ruined from a cat 4 with little storm surge. I think Matt is doing a fine job.
ultimatly we are adults here who will make the discission based on all factors.

My family lived through Charley, my 12 year old son was there do you know what I went trough as a mother last year with charley?I did not hear from my family for 4 days I sat in Pa helpless watchin it unfold on tv looking to see if i caught a sight of them on every new show there was. Seeing the hardware store around the corner from their house demolished.


I know how the people who's family went through Katrina felt. I am taking everything I can get on this storm. My family is leaving weather it is a cat 1 or a cat 4 when it hits. Living through it once for them was enough.

I can just imagine what you went through. People have told us the photos and stories from Punta Gorda were horrifying. Strangely enough, it wasn't as bad as it looked.

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

Thanks for all the kind words. Very busy tonight. It looks like Wilma interact with Yucatan but less then thought earlier. Excepted to hit as a 5 in yucatan. Then weaken to mid range 2 and hit florida. Still subject to change.

The cone is still large so all from central florida to the keys need to watch. Looks like worst case scenario wont happen. Will post track later.

Florida has now offically declared State of Emergency. The city of Tampa also declared emergency status. Madatory evacuations start going into affect tomorrow for southwest florida. Tampa says possible Level A evacuations if needed. Voluntary for all zones deffinite.

Matt

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

I can just imagine what you went through. People have told us the photos and stories from Punta Gorda were horrifying. Strangely enough, it wasn't as bad as it looked.

I should post photos from my home is missisippi. It was hit very hard sadly. Even though we moved tampa dad still works in MS and our house is there. I know how rough it can be.

Matt

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

We use many models. Some models are better then others in different cases. The FSU superensemble combines all of them and gives a blended best guess path. Some are based off different atmosphere conditions where others are just based off past similar storms.

This time the models have jumped around a lot which leads to the low confidence.

Hope this answered model question.
Matt

 

[princessbaileigh]

We are leaving out on Wed. Is this storm going to affect our trip next week? I am concerned about central Florida.....How bad do you think the damage may be?

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

There is still very low confidence in my forecast beyond 24 hours. Everything right just has to fall into place just right for exact forecast to work. So if you are in the cone then you need to prepare for CAT 2 or higher hitting you. I will try to get a morning update. Starting Friday at 5pm, Updates will occur daily: 9am, 12pm,3pm,6pm,9pm,11pm. 24 hours prior to landfall, I may issue advisories as often as every 1-2 hours.

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

We are leaving out on Wed. Is this storm going to affect our trip next week? I am concerned about central Florida.....How bad do you think the damage may be?

Should be fine. Should be cooler and drier in florida by then. Right now very limited to no damage in central florida. Tampa area southward may have TS winds with tree limbs down sopratic power outages. Most damage will be right near where it makes landfall and to the south of that. This system even though its big is not quite like past major hurricanes that spread damage even farther but it is bigger then average. Wind field will expand also as it gets into gulf because of shear stretching her out more.

Matt

 

[mamalle]

wow- I cant believe it wont be leaving our coast until tuesday am and they say dont be surprised if there are more delays so who knows what the weather will be.. at least its going to weaken and be a 2 when it hits the west coast. Guess they will update us at 7am and 10 today.. this is crazy.

 

[MizBlu]

I should post photos from my home is missisippi. It was hit very hard sadly. Even though we moved tampa dad still works in MS and our house is there. I know how rough it can be.

Matt

We were the only house that did not have a "blue tarp" on the roof. We have a metal roof and you didn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out there was something about that metal roof.

Some of our neighbors have not moved back into their homes and 2 neighbors just moved back last week. They say timing is everything.

I'm off to WDW this afternoon and I am not getting on I-75. Everyone stay safe and stay aware.

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

wow- I cant believe it wont be leaving our coast until tuesday am and they say dont be surprised if there are more delays so who knows what the weather will be.. at least its going to weaken and be a 2 when it hits the west coast. Guess they will update us at 7am and 10 today.. this is crazy.

Amazing and hard storm. Very hard to know what its doing until its doing it. Dont let your guard down about it being only a 2. Its very possible it could still remain a 2. Some indications over the past 3-5 hours lead us to beleive there wont be full landfall over mexico which would mean less weakening. Stay tuned


Matt

 

[chrissyk]

We were the only house that did not have a "blue tarp" on the roof. We have a metal roof and you didn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out there was something about that metal roof.

I covet your metal roof, LOL! When we look at houses, I rule out any "deed restricted" subdivisions that don't allow homeowners to change the roof to a metal roof. Next house, we're definitely getting putting one on!

 

[ducklite]

We were in Grand Cayman last week, and every single roof on that island is metal. They are also all brand new after the visit they had from Ivan last year.

I'm seeing more and more metal roofs here in the Orlando area, especially on the commercial buildings.

Anne

 

[mamalle]

Of course not but its good news for us being over on the east coast- making it even weaker as it passes over us. I havent seen any news otherwise today. we are all prepared like every hurricane season and we will just watch and wait to see what will take place- hopefully sometime at the beginning of the week. Looking forward to that nice cool front coming through after- will be nice if it stuck around for halloween!

of course our county is the only one not to have made a decision regarding schools yet for monday. My girlfriend who is a cm said today even Polk county schools are not in school on Monday.. so we patiently wait

 

[Brianne]

I covet your metal roof, LOL! When we look at houses, I rule out any "deed restricted" subdivisions that don't allow homeowners to change the roof to a metal roof. Next house, we're definitely getting putting one on!

We're in a deed restricted subdivision that is actually putting metal roofs up to vote (we got the notice about it recently). It seems that opinion is leaning in that direction---I'm not fond of metal roofs personally (too noisy), but I can definitely understand why people would want them.

of course our county is the only one not to have made a decision regarding schools yet for monday. My girlfriend who is a cm said today even Polk county schools are not in school on Monday.. so we patiently wait

My county currently has school open on Monday (Hillsborough) unless something changes over the weekend. Last year they err'ed on the side of caution to the other extreme, so I'm surprised at the decision they've made this time around.

 

[mamalle]

Im on the east coast of fla and we will find out tomorrow after the 11am advisory. alot of our surrounding counties have already stated they will be closed on monday. Indian River, St Lucie and Okeechobee, along with FAU and the local CC. My husband just sent me a email regarding opening a shelter for fire dept families to go to starting monday at a school so that leads me to believe that they will be closed. From the local EOC they believe it will impact palm beach county most likely as a Cat 1. Most of the models take it right across the state and across Lake Okeechobee. I work for a hospital and we still havent heard yet if we are going to activate our hurricane call. dh will go in monday and be prepared to stay up to 72 hours.

 

[Talking Hands]

Miami-Dade is still scheduled for school on Monday. We were told that they won't make the decision until Sat or Sun. Crews always seems to wait until the last minute. The school I work at is a shelter so if they open it then we won't have school even if the other schools are open.